Meet Drew

State Representative Drew Darby represents nine counties in West Texas spanning the Concho Valley and Permian Basin, an area larger than seven states. Drew is a product of San Angelo schools and received a business degree and a juris doctorate from the University of Texas at Austin. He also attended the Darden School for Emerging Leaders at the University of Virginia.

Drew was elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 2006. Drew is currently serving as Chairman of the Energy Resources Committee, and as a member of the Ways and Means Committee and the Select Committee on Federal Environmental Regulation. Additionally, Representative Darby has served as a member of the Legislative Budget Board, the State Water Implementation Fund for Texas Advisory Committee and as a subcommittee chairman for the House Committee on Appropriations.

A successful businessman, Drew is the owner of Surety Title with offices throughout West Texas, and Of Counsel to the Energy and Real Estate practice group at the law firm of Jackson Walker, LLP.

On the Issues

Budget Transparency

Representative Darby devotes a great deal of time and energy to taking a complex state budget and making it easier for real Texans to understand. As a member of the committee that sets the budget for the state, he's focused on meeting the basic needs of the people of Texas and on demanding that government agencies live within their means. In the 83rd session, Drew led the effort by authoring and passing into law an elimination of an electricity surtax while lowering trash collection and insurance fees on homeowners to only what is neccessary, not a revenue source for growing state government.

Champion for Our Schools

Representative Darby works hard for our school children, their parents, and the teachers who serve them. Since entering the Legislature, his focus has been on local control for schools and on student performance, not overburdening standardized tests and state government bureaucracy. In the 83rd session, he was proud to support retired teachers by ensuring their pension fund is fiscally sound. As a member of the Higher Education committee, Drew is also working to ensure our regional universities and community colleges are delivering affordable career advancement for students and their families.

Water

Representative Darby understands that water infrastructure is critical for life and for our economy. State government must be a positive resource, helping us plan for our future and where possible aid water resource development so that we can keep water rates affordable. It must not, however, create more regulatory barriers that prevent West Texans from solving West Texas problems.

Economic Development

Representative Darby is a strong fiscal conservative and a business owner, who believes that keeping taxes low, maintaining a predictable regulatory environment and a fair court system are the keys to keeping the Texas economy strong. Throughout his work in the legislature, Drew has lowered taxes on small businesses, streamlined business permitting and is a strong proponent of tort reform.

Transportation

Representative Darby considers better transportation infrastructure to be a top priority for West Texas and he’s fought, every session, for more investment in our area’s roads, rail and bridges. He opposes more debt and tollroads as the solution to our transportation problems and favors a "pay as you go" system that puts transportation as a constitutional priority for state government.